Machines for automatically sorting flat articles, such as mail, into one of an array of selected bins or compartments, are known. Typically, such sorting machines have a feeding station, including an intake drive member such as a rubber-covered wheel or belt, sensing and detecting equipment for determining the appropriate output compartment for the article to be sorted, diverting gates or other mechanisms and an array of output compartments or bins for the sorted articles. An example of an advanced sorting machine is the DBSCll sorting device, available from ElectroCom Automation, L.P., Arlington, Texas.
Conventionally, to feed articles into the sorting machine, an operator manually grabs a bundle of mail to be sorted and manually shakes or jostles the mail to generally align the bottom edges, making a stack, typically horizontal. The operator then places the stack of mail against the feed member of the sorting machine, which then feeds the articles into the sorting machine, one at a time, to be sorted.
At the output of the sorter, the sorted articles are routed to the appropriate compartment for each of the sorted articles and stacked. The feeding and sorting of articles continues until one or more of the receiving compartments becomes sufficiently full of a stack of sorted mail. At this point, an operator will manually remove a stack of the sorted articles from the compartment and place the articles into a box for either later reprocessing through the sorting machine, transferring to another sorting machine for further sorting or transporting to a delivery person, such as a mail carrier, for ultimate delivery to the intended location, if all sorting is completed.
Although automatic sorting machines have greatly speeded and improved the prior process of manual sorting, manual attention is still required to feed the flat articles into the sorting machine and to retrieve the sorted articles from the output of the sorting machine. The need for such manual feeding and sweeping is undesirable for ergonomic reasons, because of the bending and reaching required. Furthermore, the need for such manual handling of the mail tends to limit the maximum benefits of automation that can be gained from the sorting machine.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to minimize the ergonomic problems and reduce manpower requirements by automating the feeding and retrieving of flat articles from a flat article sorting machine or other flat article processing machine.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cartridge for receiving and holding the flat articles in an orderly manner, which can be readily handled and transferred by either a robotic cartridge handling and transfer device or by a human operator, if necessary.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cartridge that will readily dock onto a receiving dock of a feeding device and can be inserted into the output compartments of a sorting machine to directly receive sorted articles in an orderly stack, so that the cartridge containing the stacked flat articles is readily removed from the sorting machine.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic unloading apparatus and method for removing stacks of flat articles from a cartridge and for queuing the stacks for feeding to a sorting machine.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for automatically stacking flat articles into a cartridge at the output of a sorting machine.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a robotic cartridge transfer system for automatically removing cartridges containing a stack of flat articles from the output compartment of a sorting machine, when the cartridge has reached a desired stage of filling, and to transfer the cartridge to a buffer storage shelf or the receiving dock of the same or a different sorting machine for resorting.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a feed-through jogging/edging apparatus for automatically edging flat articles prior to entrance to a document feeder.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for dynamic compartment allocation that automatically redesignates a different output location when it is desired to remove a cartridge filled with sorted articles so that the sorting machine continues to sort into the redesignated output location even when designated output compartments have been filled, when the cartridge has either not yet been removed or is still in the process of being removed from the output compartment of the sorting machine.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for allocation of output compartments which groups high-occurrence destinations together to maximize efficiency of cartridge removal, based on probability of occurrence of the particular destinations.
Cartridge
In accordance with the present invention, a cartridge for stacked flat articles includes:
a container comprising a bottom, sides and an openable front door supporting a stack of flat articles, a longitudinally slidably mounted stack support paddle resiliently urgable against the stack of articles, said stack support paddle further including actuators for external sensors for determining the position of said stack support paddle.
In a preferred embodiment, the cartridge further includes a lock for selectively securing the stack support paddle to prevent movement of stack support paddle when the lock is engaged, the lock including an external actuator for disengaging the lock when the cartridge is mounted in a cartridge receiving dock and disengaging the lock when the cartridge is removed from the receiving dock.
In a further preferred embodiment, the door includes a cam follower for opening and closing the door as a result of relative movement between a fixed external cam and the cam follower.
Autofeeder
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for transferring a stack of flat articles from a cartridge having an openable door includes:
placing a cartridge onto a cartridge receiving dock;
opening the cartridge door while supporting the stack of articles; placing a front stack support finger that moves with the stack to support the stack of flat articles engaging the stack of articles with a movable paddle; and
moving the paddle forwardly to push the stack forwardly, while supporting the front of the stack with the front stack support finger to retain the stack of flat articles between the front stack support finger and the movable paddle during movement of the stack from the cartridge.
The method further comprises:
moving a rear stack support finger between the movable paddle and the rear of the stack of flat articles; moving the front and rear stack support fingers with the stack retained between thereby moving the stack behind a previously queued stack of articles the moved stack becoming a newly queued stack;
moving a queued stack support from between the previously queued stack and the newly queued stack to a position behind the newly queued stack; and
moving the front and rear fingers back to respective starting positions.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, apparatus for transferring a stack of flat articles from a cartridge having an openable door includes:
hold bars for supporting the front of the stack of flat articles when the door is opened;
a cam and cam follower for opening the door when the hold bars are in place;
front fingers for supporting the front of the stack during removal thereof from the cartridge; and
a pusher for pushing the stack forwardly, to cause the stack to be moved from the cartridge.
In accordance with the present invention, the apparatus further comprises:
rear fingers for supporting the rear of the stack of flat articles;
a queuing station, including a queued stack support for supporting the rear of a queued stack of flat articles;
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for transferring a stack of flat articles from a cartridge having an openable door and a longitudinally slidable rear stack support paddle for supporting a rear of the stack, and queuing the stack for feeding to a flat article processing machine, further including:
a movable mechanical arm for placing the cartridge on and removing the cartridge from a receiving dock;
hold bar for supporting the front of the stack while the door is opened;
a cam for opening the door by means of relative movement between a cam on the receiving dock and a cam follower on the door as the cartridge is placed on the receiving dock and for closing the door when the cartridge is removed from the receiving dock;
a front finger for supporting the front of the stack during removal thereof from the cartridge;
a drive for placing the front finger in front of the stack for support thereof when the hold bar is removed;
a pusher positionable behind the stack of flat articles; and
a drive for moving the pusher forwardly, to push the stack forwardly, to move the stack out of the cartridge.
In accordance with the invention, the apparatus further comprises:
a drive for moving the front finger from the receiving dock to a queuing station along with the stack of flat articles;
a rear finger for supporting the rear of the stack;
a drive for placing the rear finger between a longitudinally slidable rear stack support paddle and the rear of the stack;
a queuing station, including a queued stack support for supporting the rear of a queued stack;
a drive for moving the rear finger with the stack, to retain the stack between the front finger and the rear finger during movement;
a drive for moving the queued stack support from between a previously queued stack and a newly queued stack to a position behind the newly queued stack; and
a drive for moving the front and rear fingers away from the stack to permit movement of the front and rear fingers to respective starting positions.
Autostacker
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for transferring flat articles from an article processing machine to a cartridge in an output compartment includes:
moving articles toward an open end of a cartridge docked at an output compartment, said cartridge having a longitudinally slidable rear stack support paddle;
guiding the articles into the cartridge to form a stack of articles in the cartridge;
determining when the cartridge should be removed from the output compartment;
discontinuing the movement of articles into the cartridge when the cartridge is to be removed from an output compartment;
closing a door of the cartridge while supporting the stack in an upright position; and
removing the cartridge from the output compartment.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for transferring flat articles from an article processing machine to a cartridge in an output compartment includes:
a transport for moving articles toward an open end of a cartridge docked at an output compartment, said cartridge having a longitudinally slidable rear stack support paddle;
an article guide for guiding articles into the cartridge in a stack of articles in the cartridge;
a sensor for determining when a cartridge should be removed from the output compartment;
a controller for discontinuing the movement of articles to the cartridge when the cartridge is to be removed from an output compartment;
an actuator for closing a door to the cartridge while supporting flat articles in the stack in an upright condition; and
a drive for removing said cartridge from said output compartment.
Further in accordance with the present invention, an apparatus for transferring flat articles from an article processing machine to a cartridge in an output compartment includes:
a drive for moving articles toward an open end of a cartridge docked at an output compartment, said cartridge having a longitudinally slidable rear stack support paddle;
a sweep gate for guiding articles into the cartridge in a stack of articles in the cartridge;
a sensor for determining when a cartridge should be removed from the output compartment;
an actuator for discontinuing the movement of articles to the cartridge when the cartridge is to be removed from an output compartment;
a cam on the output compartment for closing the cartridge door by means of relative movement between the cam and the door; and
a mechanical arm for removing the cartridge from the output compartment.
Jogger
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, apparatus for aligning the bottom edges of flat articles includes: a plurality of spaced apart, generally vertical fingers, forwardly translatable while supporting groups of flat articles, each finger being rockable back and forth through a vertical centerline as the fingers are forwardly translated to jostle the articles to align the bottom edges thereof.
Also in accordance with the present invention, the apparatus as defined above further comprises a plurality of fixed cam lobes, with the fingers having a cam follower mounted thereon to ride over the cam lobes as the fingers are forwardly translated, thereby to impart a back and forth rocking motion through a vertical centerline as the fingers are forwardly translated.
Robot
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, apparatus for automatically inserting and removing cartridges from an article processing machine includes: a cartridge holding platform;
an Xxe2x80x94Y positioning device mounted to the cartridge holding platform for positioning the cartridge holding platform at a specified location for delivering or retrieving a cartridge;
a cartridge capturing arm including extendible arms for extending to and supporting the cartridge; and
a drive for moving a hold bar into and out of the cartridge.
Further in accordance with the present invention, the cartridge holding platform is rotatable about a vertical axis.
Also in accordance with the present invention, the cartridge holding platform is rotatable about a horizontal axis to align the extendible arms with the cartridge.
Further in accordance with the present invention, the Xxe2x80x94Y positioning device comprises a robot that includes an end effector for actuating a stack shover into an output compartment.
Overall System with Buffer
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method for sorting and feeding flat articles includes: placing a cartridge retaining a stack of flat articles onto a cartridge receiving dock;
removing the articles from the cartridge as a group;
moving the articles as a group to a feeding station of a sorter;
sorting the articles to selected ones of a plurality of output compartments, each of the output compartments having a cartridge contained therein;
moving articles into a selected cartridge in one of said plurality of compartments and as a stack in the cartridge;
sensing when the cartridge should be removed from an output compartment; and
discontinuing movement of articles into the cartridge when the cartridge is to be removed from an output compartment.
In accordance with this embodiment, the method further comprises:
moving the cartridge from the output compartment to a buffer shelf for temporary storage.
Further in accordance with the present invention, an apparatus for sorting and feeding flat articles includes: a cartridge receiving dock receiving a cartridge holding a stack of flat articles;
a pusher for removing articles as a group from the cartridge;
a transport for moving groups of articles to a feeding station of a sorter;
an article sorter for sorting articles to selected ones of a plurality of output compartments, each of the output compartments having a cartridge contained therein;
a transport for driving articles into a selected cartridge in one of the plurality of compartments to a stack in the cartridge;
a sensor for determining when a cartridge should be removed from an output compartment; and
a controller for discontinuing the movement of articles into the cartridge for removal from an output compartment.
In accordance with this embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a platform for removing the cartridge from an output compartment and placing the cartridge in a buffer shelf.
Also in accordance with the present invention, an apparatus for sorting and feeding flat articles includes:
a cartridge having a longitudinally slidable rear stack support paddle for supporting the rear of a stack of flat articles;
a mechanical arm for positioning the cartridge, containing a stack of flat articles, at a cartridge receiving dock;
a cam for opening a door of said cartridge by means of relative movement between the cartridge and the cartridge receiving dock;
a hold bar insertable into the cartridge between the door and a front of the stack of articles for supporting the front of the stack to maintain a desired orientation of the stack;
a front finger positionable at the front of the stack of flat articles and a rear finger positionable at the rear of the stack;
a drive for moving the hold bar away from the stack prior to moving the stack of flat articles from the cartridge;
a drive for moving the front and rear fingers from the cartridge to move the stack of flat articles to a feeder station;
a feeder for feeding articles from a queued stack into a sorter having a plurality of output compartments, each output compartment having a cartridge therein;
a drive for moving said articles into a selected cartridge in one of the plurality of compartments;
a sweep gate for guiding articles into a cartridge as a stack of articles in the cartridge;
a sensor for when a cartridge should be removed from an output compartment;
a controller for disabling the movement of articles into the cartridge when the cartridge is to be removed from an output compartment;
an actuator for moving the sweep gate to a front of the stack;
a cam on the output compartment for closing the cartridge door by means of relative movement between the cam and the door; and
a mechanical arm for removing the cartridge from an output compartment for placement in a buffer shelf.
Also in accordance with the present invention, a method for sorting articles into cartridges includes: determining the frequently used output compartments containing cartridges; and
designating the most frequently used output compartments proximate to one another.
Further in accordance with this embodiment, the method further allocating compartments in a buffer shelf proximate to one another for receiving cartridges from the most frequently used output compartments.